1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to rotary knife cutting systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to rotary knife cutting systems for use with surgical stapling devices.
2. Background of Related Art
During various surgical procedures, it is often necessary to cut out or excise a diseased section of tubular tissue. This is typically accomplished by using a linear stapling device which cuts across the long axis of the tubular tissue leaving a transverse row of staples extending across the edge of the cut tissue. In appearance, the cut and stapled edge of the tubular tissue resembles a duckbill in form. This procedure is performed on both sides of the diseased tissue section leaving two stapled free duckbilled edges of tissue to be joined. This is typically termed “forming an anastomosis”, i.e., reconnecting two free ends of hollow tubular tissue sections.
In order to reconnect to tissue sections, a circular stapling device is inserted in a first tubular tissue section and an anvil member of the circular stapling device is inserted in the opposite tubular tissue section. The duckbilled edges of the tubular tissue sections are cinched down against shafts associated with the anvil member and the staple head. The anvil member is then moved adjacent a staple head of the circular stapling device and the circular stapling device is actuated to drive a circular array of staples from the staple head through the tubular tissue sections and into the anvil member. During the procedure, a circular knife blade is advance through the tissues to cut or core out the duckbilled staple sections of the two tubular tissue sections. Upon removal of the surgical stapling device, an anastomosis is formed by the circular array of staples joining the two tubular tissue sections.
In some instances, when the duckbilled sections of the tubular tissue sections are cinched down against the shafts of the circular stapling device, some of the staples resulting from the use of the linear surgical stapling device may be left in the path of the advancing blade of the circular stapling device. Thus, the circular knife blade associated with the circular stapling device needs to cut through these displaced or “wayward” staples. A need exists for rotary cutting system for use in a circular surgical stapling device capable of rotating a knife blade so as to slice through wayward staples and any tough tissue to thereby insure a proper anastomosis between two tubular tissue sections. There is also a need for a latch mechanism for use with a rotary cutting system to prevent premature rotation of a knife blade until such time as the tubular tissue sections have been stapled with a circular array of staples.